I'm considering purchasing The Powers of Darkness, Mike Caveney's version of a Corrinda effect. I have never seen it done and can't find any review on the effect.

I'm not looking for a response of how great Mike is as a performer. I just want to know if this routine is a practical addition to my show as a substitute effect when the audience has seen paper balls over the head? Of course if someone wants to mention any other effects that are in this same general category that might be helpful also.

I've done Mike's version of Corinda's Powers of Darkness for many years. If you can successfully present Slydini's Paper Balls over the Head, you should have absolutely no problem, presentationwise, with POD. The effect is at least as visually interesting as PBOH, and yet the spectators will not be able to describe exactly what happened to the "victim" afterwards, which is a bonus IMHO. :) Mark

I sure as heck wouldn't do it. The POD hanger has a big gap in it that the audience sees, thus letting them see that a hanger can have a gap in it without falling apart at the twist in the neck. Some might be able to put two and two together and come to the conclusion that the linking hangers were the same.

I remember doing a stunning Coat Hanger vanish utilizing a single piece of newspaper, soldering wire, and some paint. It should work with a "gapped" hanger. I believe this trick can be found in George Anderson's Magic Digest.

Originally posted by hpcman:...from Thinair (Marks) response I was unaware that the audience sees the exact gimmick.

Ben,

I believe Mark's point is that because of the multiple ways the extra &#8220;gimmicked&#8221; hanger is used to affect the penetrations, the audience members are prevented from reconstructing precisely what happens to the volunteer. With Paper Balls Over the Head, someone can simply say, &#8220;He kept throwing the paper over your head&#8221; and that pretty much covers it. Yes, with POD they can tell the volunteer about the extra hanger with the gap, but exactly how it was used is difficult to backtrack. I have seen Mike Caveney perform POD many times and can attest to its effectiveness. If you do PBOH, the POD will probably fit your style as well, so you can't go wrong. There's also nothing to clean up from the stage afterward!

I've been using Caveney's Powers of Darkness Comes out of the Closet since 1986 while working at Disneyland in CA. It is awesome. Like previous postings mentioned,unlike paperballs, the audience cannot reconstruct the routine even when trying to explain it to the audience member it happens to. The gimmick is switched in so smoothly, and removed as smoothly also, that the volunteer really is left clueless as to the workings.

I have actually had the volunteer open their eyes to find the hanger linked solidly to their arm, and DROP THEIR JAWS in amazement, and sometimes to guffaw out loud, astonished. There is no explanation for them at all.

I perform both the Paperballs and the Coathangers. Paper balls is for someone that only has to watch, and not think. That's not a BAD thing, just a general description. Coathangers requires someone that is 1)not drunk, 2)can follow verbal directions and 3)has an expressive face. Over the years I have been very lucky to pick the right volunteers for this routine. I love it, and therefore advise nobody to go out and buy it. Let me have it all to myself...